Spike, twisted or threaded



Gd. 25, 1932. G, B ANTHQMSEN 1,884,503

SPIKE, TWISTED OR THREADED Filed Oct. 4, 1929 Patented Get. 25, 1932 UNITED sTA as enoae B. ANTIIONISFEN, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA SPIKE, TWISTED OR THREADED Application filed October 4, 1929.- Serial No. 397,234.

This invention relates to fastening means such as spikes. For the purpose of description and illustration, a spike is chosen suitable for fastening railroad rails to ties. In a spike which is driven into wood or similar material it is desirable to have as much friction on the wood as practical so that the spike will remain firmly seated when driven into place. While it has heretofore been proposed to have spikes having bodies of helical formation, these spikes have had the helical portion thereof made of uniform shape so that there was no particular resistance to the withdrawing of the spike if it were rotated. There was also no more friction on the surrounding material at one portion of the spike than at another. I

It is an object of this invention to provide a spike having a body portion of helical formation, the twist of the helix varying from one portion of the spike to another sothat pressure is created on the wood or material into which the spike is driven which increases the friction on the spike.

It is another object of the invention to provide a spike having a head and a body portion, which body portion has a portion there- 'of formed as a helix, the twist of the helix varying from one part of the spike to another. 1

' It is a further object of the invention to provide a spike having different portions thereof in the form of a helix, the twist of said helices being different and one of the same preferably having a uniform twist.

It is still another object of the invention 7 to provide a spike having a head portion which may be eccentric to the body portion of the spike and which preferably has its under side extending inwardly and downwardly to the body of the spike.

lhese and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which embodying the invention;

. Fig. 2 is a view as seen from the left of U Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2, as indicated bythe arrows;

Fig. 4 is a view in' side elevation of a slightly different form of spike;

Fig. 5 is a horizontalsection taken on line 5-5 of Fig. a as indicated by the arrows Fig. 6 is a partial view of the spike shown in Fig. 4 as seen from the right thereof.

Referring to the drawing, in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 a spike is shown having a head portion 10 and abody portion 11. The head portion 10 has a central substantiallyelliptical portion 10a with a substantially vertical edge, and the head above portion 10a is of curved or rounded shape having a convex surface.

While the head and its portion 10a may be disposed at various angles, in the embodiment of the invention illustratedthe same is shown as inclining at about twelve degrees from the horizontal. The portion immediately below the portion 10a is bulged or of throat shape, the same extending substantially from the edge of portion 10a inwardly and downwardly with a convex surface. The body portion 11 is shown of substantially square formation immediately below head 10 and the longitudinal center line ofthe body portion 10 is eccentric of head 10. The body portion 11 is so formed that edges and body are parts of helicals, giving the spike the appearance of-an irregular screw. The sides of spike 11 particularly are formed with a plurality of shallow depressions 11a shown as substantially circular in outline. The body portion 11 is taperedat its two sides atits lower end so that said end tapers into an edge and the edge is thus substantially in the shape of a chisel edge. The body 11 at its lower stress is portion has the helix therein substantially of uniform twist and from this point upward varying in twist, the twist changing gradually to its point of termination in the square portion just below head 10. The variable or increased twist is shown by the variance from the dotted line used to indicate a uniform twist;

The spike shown in Figs. 1 to 3 is intended V to be used as a substitute for the form of spike commonly used for fastening the rails on railroad ties. The spike illustrated will be driven through the tie plate resting on the tie and the plate will have an opening therethrough accommodating the spike. The longer side of the head 10, such as that shown at the left of Fig. 2 will overlie the flange of the rail when the spike is driven in place and the head will have to he turned so that when the spike is driven home the head will 'iut in the right direction. As the spike is i ivea it will be given a slight turning movement by the helical formation of body 11 and as'theupper end of spike is driven into the wood it tends to vary this rotation. This movement is resisted by the lower portion of the spike, which has a different twist and laced on the wood which is different at di erent portions of the spike. This increases the friction of the spike on the wood and the spike will be retained more securely in place. The recesses 11a are provided so that some of the wood into which the spike is driven will be forced into these recesses and thus further resist the drawing movement of the spike. It is often desired to lift the spike and in railway work this is often done with a bar such as a crow bar having a split or cloven end comprising divergi jaws. When the spike shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is so lifted the portion under the head can rest on the edges of the jaws in the lifting lower half of the body portion 13 is formed of rectangular shape without any twist or helical formation. The upper portion of body 18, however, is given a twist or helical formation and the twist of the helix increases gradually toward the upper end of the spike as indicated by the variance from the dotted line indicating a uniform twist. Recesses 13a are formed in the lower ortion of the spike which will be of comparatively shallow depth. The lower end of body portion 13 is tapered so that two of the opposite sides converge substantially to form a point as shown in Fig. 4, while the other airs of sides converge and are formed with e rounded lower end 135 as shown in Fig. 6.

A differential stress is thus placed on the .wood throughout the length of the spike and the spike has great resistance in the wood insuring that it will remain firmly in place.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a structure of spike which will greatly increase the holding power of the spike. The spike and wood are under different stresses at different portions of the spike so that an increased gripping effect is secured. The device is simple and can be inexpensively produced. It is apparent that the spike will have great utility for the purpose intended.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A spike for holding a railway rail comprising a. head, a shank portion extending eccentrically from said head and twisted through a partial revolution to form a helix of less than 360 degrees, said shank being substantiallyrectangular in cross section and of uniform cross section for substantially all of its length and for a part of its length adjacent its free end having the twist of said helix uniform, and for the other part of its length adjacent the said head having the twist of said helix increased graduallyto a point closely adjacent said head, whereby a. turning movement will be given said spike as it is driven into a tie through a rectangular hole in a tie plate, and stress will be placed on said spike .1 and the material of said tie by said increased twist of said helix.

2. A spike comprising a head, a shank extending therefrom, said shank being of uniform cross section throughout substantiallyall of its length and substantially rectangular in cross section, said shank being twisted to form a helix of less than 360 degrees, the twist of said helix increasing from one point on said spike to a point closely adjacent the head '1= of said spike.

3. A spike for holding a railway rail comprising a head, a shank extending therefrom,

said shank being twisted from adjacent its free end to a point adjacent its head to form a 12.- helix of less than 360 degrees, said helix having a uniform pitch throughout a part of its length adjacent the free end of the shank and gradually increasing in twist from said part to a point adjacent the head of said spike.

4. A spike comprising a head, a shank extending therefrom, said shank being twisted to form a helix of less than 360 degrees, the twist of said helix increasing from one point on said spike to another point thereon, whereby when said spike is driven into the wood, the tendency to rotate will be Varied by said increased twist and an additional stress will be placed on the fibers of said wood, holding said spike more securely in position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORG B. ANTHONISEN. 

